I blog about tv shows, movies, and a little self help

Category: comedy

Your 17 years old and your Mom tells you she’s going on vacation for two months . Summer break here I come! Until she tells you that she’s hired a babysitter to watch you and your five other brothers and sisters. As if.

That’s what happened to Ellen Crandell played by Christina Applegate. This sweet old woman of course is just an act till the mom leaves and as luck would have it for these kids, she actually died in her sleep. What’s to do but to get rid of the body right? Now the real fun can begin. Right?

As the brothers and sisters soon realize they have no cash and no food. It’s up to Ellen to get a job to help make ends meet. First she works at Clown Dog. What a drag.

Your kidding me right? Ellen had to get out quick. She realizes her passion is in fashion! So with no contacts and no history of any college she forges a resume and applies to General Apparel West to be a receptionist.

Rose Lindsey played by actress Joanna Cassidy, loves her resume so much she offers her a job as an administrative assistant. What luck! She soon realizes working at a high end job has its perks! Soon she takes a little petty cash here and a little petty cash there, just to help out her brothers and sisters. It’s totally justified. Still not getting the hang of adult responsibilities Ellen soon finds herself in a web of lies, stolen cash, and a boyfriend she can’t keep lying to. Oh, and her company she now works for is about to go under. What’s a seventeen year old to do? Ellen takes it into her own hands and comes up with a design that saves the company! Unfortunalty during the party her mom comes home early! Busted.
Rose soon finds out the company was saved thanks to Ellen and even offers her the job as her personal assistant! Her reply ” I’m going to college first.” The movies ends in a quirky note when Ellen’s Mom asks where the babysitter Mrs. Sturak is. Well… she’s somewhere.

High School Reunions. They always stop and make you think what you’ve accomplished in life. It can be positive or depressing as hell. So you’ve gained a little weight and don’t have the latest gadgets. It won’t matter right? Right?

In this 1997 comedy film, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion stars Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino. These two hip 28-year-old women have not achieved much success in life and decide to invent fake careers to impress former classmates at their 10 year high school reunion. Romy works as a cashier in the service department of a Jaguar dealership; Michele is unemployed. They are both single and unambitious. Romy encounters former high school classmate, Heather Mooney (Janeane Garofalo), who informs Romy about their upcoming 10-year high school reunion back in Tucson, Arizona. At first excited at the prospect of attending, Romy then has the realization that they will not be able to make a good impression at the reunion. Desperate to impress their former classmates, Romy and Michele make last-ditch attempts to improve themselves to avoid the bullying they endured, mostly at the hands of the “A-Group”, led by cheerleader Christie Masters (Julia Campbell).

I graduated on 2007 that’s the 10 year anniversary of the movie Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. I most associate with the character of that of Romy played by Mira Sovino. I felt like I was always the instigator of whatever group I was with. I was also more considered “one of the guys” so to speak. Today 8 years after graduating I wrestle with finding a job, being a certain weight, and even struggle with slight depression. This movie makes me feel like I can do anything! It always makes me comfortable with who I am. I was laid off after working 3 years having an actual career and now every day I spend my time on jobsites or craigslist trying to find the next big thing. I am constantly reminded by my parents that I am overweight. In high school I had a steady weight of 100 pounds now I’m 170. I’ve also actually been married since 19 but never experience dating because no one went out with me in high school. I have yet to have my high school reunion but you don’t see me trying to prove myself to anyone. So I like to eat fast food every once in a while, when did that become a crime? So I’m still currently living with my parents, I don’t have a job and my husband alone can’t afford it.

In these last 8 years I can say I’ve been married 5 years, been through 3 apartments, paid for my own car, pay my own car insurance, pay for my phone bill, have volunteered a lot of my time, learned how to make hair bows, was a successful photographer, take care of my own cat, and well lots of other things. Happiness is what makes you happy. Don’t let someone else tell you how to live your life. Be you. Romy and Michele taught me two things; love yourself, and screw what everyone else thinks.

Romy: All I ever wanted was for people to think that we were better than we were in high school. And now we’re just a stupid joke, just like we always were.

Michele: Romy, can I tell you the truth? I never knew that we weren’t that great in high school. I mean, we always had so much fun together… I thought high school was a blast! And until you told me that our lives weren’t good enough, I thought everything *since* high school was a blast. I think we should go back out there as ourselves, and just have fun like we always do. The hell with everyone else!

When I first watched this movie I was surprised, I had never seen it since it is a Christmas Movie. The classic comedy actually didn’t do that well in the box office and was listed as one of the worst films ever made. Don’t let that stop you from watching this movie. This movie has laughs, love, and even a transvestite (played by Liev Schreiber). Every actor and actress delivers a great performance in this movie. We just have so many better Christmas movie selections now that it’s hard to appreciate and love the classics. If you like the movie Clue this movie is similar in ways but with a Christmas story. I guess you’d understand if you actually watched it. This is a movie I watch every year and strongly recommend if you want to watch a classic comedy.

Trapped in Paradise

Trapped in Paradise is a 1994 Christmas-themed crime comedy film written and directed by George Gallo, and starring Nicolas Cage, Jon Lovitz, and Dana Carvey. I like this movie because it takes a story of crime and robbery and turns it into a moral. This movie teaches morals and life lessons and hey Nicolas Cage’s character even gets the girl at the end for making the right choice. This is a great family movie for the holidays.

Rare Exports A Christmas Tale

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale is a 2010 Finnish horror-fantasy-thriller film directed by Jalmari Helander about people living near the Korvatunturi Mountain who discover the secret behind Santa Claus. The film is based on a 2003 short film, Rare Exports Inc., by Jalmari and Juuso Helander. This movie (not an English film) is a great Christmas movie. The music and art in this film is that like Tim Burton. I would compare this movie to watching the Thing but for to where kids can watch it.

The film focuses on a group of local reindeer herders whose Christmas is disturbed by excavations on the mountain. A scientist has ordered a team of workers to dig open what he calls “the largest burial mound in the world”. An explosive used by the team uncovers what is referred to as a “sacred grave”. However, the occupant of the grave is still alive.

Soon, the reindeer important to the local people are mysteriously killed, and children and supplies begin to disappear from the town. It emerges that the occupant is the source of the original Santa Claus myth; a supernatural being who, rather than rewarding good children, punishes the naughty. One family, however, manages to catch the culprit in a trap, and plans to sell it to the scientist to cover the losses caused by his excavation.

If you love Michael Caine and Steve Martin check out the 1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. This comedy also stars Glenne Headly. The screenplay was written by Dale Launer, Stanley Shapiro, and Paul Henning.

Lawrence Jamieson (Caine) and Freddy Benson (Martin) are both conmen. Though their occupation is the same they both con for different reasons. Caine’s character cons for a lavish lifestyle while Martin’s character steals just to get free meals. This movie mostly takes place in the French Riviera. As these two characters meet they put together the biggest heist, to swindle an American heiress of 50,000. Through the conning we have lots of laughs. We also start to see that the “heiress” isn’t even an heiress at all and falls in love with Martin’s character.

I loved the style of this film. It’s a great movie to watch whenever with whomever. The score of this film is great. The music consists of a ‘30s jazzy score by Miles Goodman.

As I researched this movie, I found out some surprising details. Wikipedia states that this movie was originally written for Mick Jagger and David Bowie by Dale Launer. I imagine if the movie would have such a success as it did if they starred in it. Also Michael Caine was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy but lost to Tom Hanks in Big.

If you’re looking for a great comedy love movie Seems Like Old Times should be playing on your TV right now. If you have Netflix add this movie to your list. This 1980 film stars Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn, and Charles Grodin.

Nick Gardenia (Chase) was forced to rob a bank and becomes a fugitive. He then seeks help from his ex-wife Glenda Parks (Hawn), a public defender. She is currently married to Ira Parks (Grodin) a LA county district attorney who hates Nick. Nick finds his way to Glenda and Ira’s house. Glenda finds him hiding in her garage and decides to help him while at the same time hiding it from her husband.

This film has a lot of laughs and a lot of great supporting actors and actresses. As I watched this movie I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. I thought to myself, “Oh another Chevy Chase movie.” I personally don’t like his movies that much because I believe all the National Lampoon movies he’s in are so overrated. As I watched this film I was surprised and was thrown for a loop. I loved the chemistry between all three actors. I really felt like what I was watching was a real story. Goldie Hawn delivered a great performance as well. She had a sweet, genuine demeanor about her in this film. We feel bad for Ira throughout this film as he has no clue what is going on.

This is a great movie to watch with your girlfriends or with family as long as you admire classic films. If you are looking for a similar movie a 1942 film The Talk of the Town is about a wrongfully accused man hiding out at the home of a beautiful woman.

I have never seen this movie until now. As I scrolled through Netflix I saw a picture of Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn. It has to be good I thought. I was right.

This 1999 movie the Out of Towners is a remake of a 1970 film by the same name. Henry (played by Steve Martin) and Nancy ( played by Goldie) are from Ohio. We see that Henry has lost his job but doesn’t tell his wife. After leaving for New York Nancy gets lonely and basically follows him onto the plane. Everything that can go wrong, goes wrong in this movie. Although its probably very unlikely all these things would happen to a person, its a great comedy. There “lovely” trip involves being rerouted to Boston, their luggage lost, mugged, cards being declined, thrown out of hotel, robbed, and chased by police. “Only in New York,” Steve Martin’s character says. Don’t worry thou everything turns out great at the end and he gets the job and they start their new life in New York.

I was shocked when I read on Wikipedia that it didn’t even get a high rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I love this movie. Its a movie you can watch every year. As I watch this movie during the Christmas time, I connect more to the characters. I love Christmas because “everyone is happy no matter what” is what I say. Thou this isn’t a Christmas movie, most of the movie scenes are at night and the clothing they wear is that of coats and jackets because I’m guessing its the winter time.

Thou I’m not a big fan of Goldie Hawn’s daughter Kate Hudson, Goldie delivers a great performance. She is just a wife trying to be there for her husband thou she isn’t quite sure she wants to be with him now that the kids are out of the house. She sticks by her man through it all.

Steve Martin plays a great role as well. Thou he has the world on his shoulders and time is ticking to get to his job interview, we see a character that is determined. We see his character Henry tell off Nancy a few times but he wants this job for her; to provide for her.

You will not be disappointed if you take a chance on this movie. You won’t think “oh man I wasted my time.” Thou not one of the popular movie you hear about this movie will make you laugh and even possibly cry. Don’t all sapping love movies?